Ice auger attachment for snow vehicles

ABSTRACT

An ice auger attachment for snow vehicles arranged to be driven from the snow vehicle motor by manually operated belt and clutch pulley means.

United States Patent [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Inventor George Kortschaga Sudbury, Ontario, Canada 866,224

l73/26X 173/140X 173/140X 175/18 175/18 175/18 2,251,506 8/1941 2,576,199 11/1951 Vogel....

2,614,805 10/1952 Swan 2,692,757 10/1954 Folstad. 2,846,192 8/1958 Ostling 2,860,855 11/1958 Vincent........................

Primary. Examiner-Ernest R. Purser Assistant Examiner-Richard E. Favreau Attorney-Smart and Biggar 211 Appl. No. [22] Filed Oct. 14, 1969 [45] Patented Aug. 31, 1971 [73] Assignee Ottawa Brass Limited Ottawa, Ontario, Canada [32] Priority Mar. 12,1969 33 Canada [31] 045,510

[54] ICE AUGER A'ITACHMENTFOR SNOW VEHICLES 7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

ABSTRACT: An ice auger attachment for snow vehicles arranged to be driven from the snow vehicle motor by manually operated belt and clutch pulley means.

PATENTED AUGBI 191i INVENTOR GEORGE KORTSCHAGA BY Mal/(f 1. ATTORNEYS ICE AUGER ATTACHMENT FOR SNOW VEHICLES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to ice auger attachments for snow vehicles and more particularly to portable ice auger equipment which is adapted to utilize the motor of a snow vehicle to drive the auger.

ln recent years snow vehicles of the kind adapted to afford personal transportation. over packed or virgin snow have become increasingly popular and the use of such vehicles for purposes of transport to and from a site for fishing through the ice has become quite common. On arrival at the fishing site it is necessary to bore a hole through the ice and for this purpose use has been made of ice axesQpicks, pikes, hand driven ice augers and in come cases elaborate motor driven ice augers mounted on sleds or on some other kind of transportable rig. There has developed a substantial demand for a simple light ice drilling device which can be readily carried on a snow vehicle when not in use and which when in use can utilize the snow vehicle motor for the power necessary to turn the auger.

The present invention provides such a device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided a bracket within which is mounted for rotation a drive shaft which in operation is intended to rotate upon a substantially vertical axis. Also mounted upon the bracket are vertical and horizontal handle means so arranged so as to provide when the device is in the operative position a handhold substantially centrally vertically above the bracket and another handhold substantially centrally horizontally to one side of the bracket. One end of the drive shaft protrudes into the space more or less vertically beneath the first mentioned handhold and has mounted upon it a pulley wheel which in the preferred form of the invention is a V-belt pulley wheel which is of such a size that the clearance between the periphery of the wheel at substantially diametrically opposedpoints thereof and the sides of the first mentioned handle means are less than the thickness of the belt means used to drive the pulley. A drive belt which is suitably an endless V-belt several feet in length passes around the pulley wheel and is held in position by the sides of the first mentioned handle means. The drive shaft is adapted for a sliding fit within the hollow shaft of an ice augerwithin which it is adapted to be secured by a drive pin passing through suitable holes in the sides of the hollow ice auger shaft and one of one or more horizontal holes in the drive shaft. The ice auger itself may be of any conventional design having blades or wings at its lower end and preferably surmounted by a helicoid mounted on the outside of the ice auger shaft and designed to throw ice shavings outward out of the hole being drilled. At the lower end of the ice auger shaft is secured a sharp point extending sufficiently below the blades or wings of the ice auger to enable the point of the ice auger to be securely anchored in an ice surface prior to a boring operation.

In order to operate the device of the present invention it is necessary that the snow vehicle be equipped with an accessible clutch pulley means driven by the snow vehicle motor. Most snow vehicles employ a transmission which includes a belt clutch with a fixed clutch plate facing inwardly towards the motor on the end of the drive shaft and a movable clutch plate mounted inwardly thereof and cooperating with a clutch mechanism mounted within a generally hemispherical housing on the outside of the fixed clutch plate, the housing being secured into position by a bolt screwed on to the end of the drive shaft. I have found that for the purposes of my invention a highly satisfactory clutch pulley means is afforded if a dish shaped adapter is secured with its concave face outwardly from the clutch housing already referred to. In most cases this adapter may be secured in position by the same bolt which secures the clutch housing. In cases where the drive-shaft is not sufficiently long it may be necessary to employ a special bolt with an enlarged shank for this purpose.

The invention and the operation thereof will be more fully understood with reference to the following detailed specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view of the housing auger and drive pin assembly,

. FIG. 2. is a perspective view of a device of the invention in its operative position connected for operation by the motor of a snow vehicle and FIG. 3 is an enlarged detailed view of the mounting of the adapter plate on the clutch housing of the snow vehicle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the drawings the bracket 10 has mounted within it the bearing 11 within which is mounted for rotation the auger drive shaft 12 which extends within the hollow auger shaft 13 where it is secured by drive pin 14 passing through holes 15 in the hollow auger shaft and one of holes 16, 17 or 18 in the drive shaft. The purpose of the additional holes 17 and 18 is to extend the length of the auger in cases where the depth of the ice to be drilled through requires it. v

, Mounted on the lower end of the ice auger are the wings or cutting edges 19. Above the cutting edges 19 is the helicoid 20 and secured to the end of the auger shaft 13 is the positioning point 21. Secured to the upper end of the auger drive shaft 12 above the bracket 10 is the V-belt pulley 22 which carries the V-belt 23. A vertical handle 24 is secured to the housing 10 in the position indicated, where the clearance between the periphery of the V-belt pulley 22 and the sides 25 and 26 of the handle 24 is less than the width of the V-belt 23 so that the V-belt 23 cannot become disengaged from the pulley 22 unless the latter is disconnected from the drive shaft 12. Secured to the rear side of the bracket 10 is the horizontal handle 24A.

The adapter 27 is secured to the clutch housing 28 of the snow vehicle 29 by the bolt 30 which secures both the adapter 27 and the clutch housing 28 to the drive shaft 31 of the snow vehicle. While in its operating position the V-belt 23 presses into the bite between the adapter 27 and the clutch housing 28.

In operation the snow vehicle is parked in a desired position with its brake [if any] on and clutch in the disengaged or starting position and the engine started. The V-belt 23 is then loosely positioned over the adapter 27 in the manner shown while the point21 of the auger is firmly driven into the ice surface. By firmly holding handles 24 and 24A and pulling in a direction away from the adapter 27 the V-belt 23 may be tightened into the bite between the clutch housing 28 and the adapter 27 to provide a frictional engagement which rotates the ice auger. By slightly relaxing the pull on handles 24 and 24A away from thev adapter 27, the Vbelt is allowed to ride out of the bite between adapter 27 and clutch plate 28 and belt 23 ceases to drive pulley 22 and the auger.

While the auger is rotating the helicoid tends to throw chips of ice formed during the boring operation up and out of the bore hole 32 and this action may be augmented if necessary by manually raising and lowering the auger during operation. The result is a clean bore hole which may be immediately utilized for ice fishing and which may be produced in ice depths of several feet in a matter of a minuteor two.

It will be appreciated that considerable modification of design is possible without departing from the principles of the invention. While the specific embodiments illustrated and described above employ a V-belt as the drive means for the auger it will be understood that with suitablemodification to the pulley and adapter a round belt, rope or flat belt could be used. In the case of the flat belt the width of the pulley would, of coursemeed to be greater and the adapter would need to be extended outwardly and formed to provide an appropriate surface for engagement of the flat belt. This is not as suitable in the case of snow vehicles of the type illustrated in FIG. 2 but would be highly practical in the case of vehicles equipped with power takeofi.

While the bracket and handle arrangement specifically described and illustrated is light and practical it will be appreciated that there are many alternative constructions possible for accomplishing the same object. For instance, instead of having the vertical and horizontal handles as illustrated the mounting head could be provided with a hood with suitable handholds formed in it which would serve the purpose of both providing the handholds, holding the belt on the pulley and protecting the operator in the event of a broken belt.

It is also obvious that in place of a drive shaft formed as illustrated the drive shaft could be hollow and adapted to accommodate the end of an ice auger socket fashion. In addition other types of ice augers than that illustrated may be used provided that they are equipped with a positioning point such as that indicated by numeral 21 in FIG. 1. More elaborate means than the simplev drive pin connection between the drive shaft and the auger shaft are well within the skill of the art.

Thus while the specific device described and illustrated represents a very simple rugged yet light and relatively inexpensive device for the purpose intended the invention comprehends a considerable scope of mechanical variation as defined in the appended claims.

1. A portable ice drilling device for use with a vehicular power source such as a snow vehicle engine, comprising; a drive shaft, a pulley, a bearing and a mounting head, said drive shaft being mounted for rotation in said bearing which is secured within said mounting head, said drive shaft extending in a direction remote from said mounting head for connection to an ice auger and extending at its other end within said mounting head and having said pulley mounted thereon, said mounting head being provided with handle means whereby said device may be hefted by both hands of an operator to position and control the same while in operation; an ice auger coaxially and detachably mounted on said drive shaft and having a positioning point extending from its lower end; and belt drive means mounted on said pulley and adapted temporarily to cooperate with clutch pulley means driven by said power source to drive said pulley and rotate said ice auger.

2. An ice drilling device as defined in claim 1 wherein the ice auger has a hollow shaft and the drive shaft fits slidably therewithin and wherein said hollow shaft and said drive shaft are adapted to be operatively secured together by drive pin means passing through holes in said shafts.

3. An ice drilling device as defined in claim 1, wherein said belt drive means is a V-belt and clutch pulley means are provided in the form of a dish-shaped adapter plate secured to the drive shaft of said vehicular power source against a substantially spherical clutch housing mounted for rotation therewith to provide a bite between said adapter and said clutch housing capable of frictional engagement with said belt drive means.

4. An ice drilling device as defined in claim 1, wherein said ice auger is provided with a helicoid secured to its shaft above the operative cutting edges thereof and arranged toelevate ships of ice formed during a drilling operation and throw the same clear of the hole being drilled.

5. An ice drilling device as defined in claim 1 wherein said mounting head comprises a mounting bracket with said bearing mounted thereon whereby said shaft extends below said bearing and said bracket for connection to said ice auger and thereabove for connection to said pulley a vertical handle mounted on said bracket substantially diametrically straddling said pulley with the legs of the handle providing insufficient clearance with the periphery of the pulley to permit dismounting from the same of said belt drive means and a horizontal handle mounted on said bracket and extending rearwardly substantially at right angles to said vertical handle.

6. An ice drilling device as defined in claim 5, wherein said belt drive means is a V-belt and clutch pulley means are provided in the form of a dish-shaped adapted plate secured to the drive shaft of said vehicular power source a ainst a substantlally spherical clutch housing mounted or rotation therewith to provide a bite between said adapter and said clutch housing capable of frictional engagement with said belt drive means.

7 An ice drilling device as defined in claim 5, wherein said ice auger is provided with a helicoid secured to its shaft above the operative cutting edges thereof and arranged to elevate chips of ice formed during a drilling operation and throw the same clear of the hole being drilled. 

1. A portable ice drilling device for use with a vehicular power source such as a snow vehicle engine, comprising; a drive shaft, a pulley, a bearing and a mounting head, said drive shaft being mounted for rotation in said bearing which is secured within said mounting head, said drive shaft extending in a direction remote from said mounting head for connection to an ice auger and extending at its other end within said mounting head and having said pulley mounted thereon, said mounting head being provided with handle means whereby said device may be hefted by both hands of an operator to position and control the same while in operation; an ice auger coaxially and detachably mounted on said drive shaft and having a positioning point extending from its lower end; and belt drive means mounted on said pulley and adapted temporarily to cooperate with clutch pulley means driven by said power source to drive said pulley and rotate said ice auger.
 2. An ice drilling device as defined in claim 1 wherein the ice auger has a hollow shaft and the drive shaft fits slidably therewithin and wherein said hollow shaft and said drive shaft are adapted to be operatively secured together by drive pin means passing through holes in said shafts.
 3. An ice drilling device as defined in claim 1, wherein said belt drive means is a V-belt and clutch pulley means are provided in the form of a dish-shaped adapter plate secured to the drive shaft of said vehicular power source against a substantially spherical clutch housing mounted for rotation therewith to provide a bite between said adapter and said clutch housing capable of frictional engagement witH said belt drive means.
 4. An ice drilling device as defined in claim 1, wherein said ice auger is provided with a helicoid secured to its shaft above the operative cutting edges thereof and arranged to elevate ships of ice formed during a drilling operation and throw the same clear of the hole being drilled.
 5. An ice drilling device as defined in claim 1 wherein said mounting head comprises a mounting bracket with said bearing mounted thereon whereby said shaft extends below said bearing and said bracket for connection to said ice auger and thereabove for connection to said pulley a vertical handle mounted on said bracket substantially diametrically straddling said pulley with the legs of the handle providing insufficient clearance with the periphery of the pulley to permit dismounting from the same of said belt drive means and a horizontal handle mounted on said bracket and extending rearwardly substantially at right angles to said vertical handle.
 6. An ice drilling device as defined in claim 5, wherein said belt drive means is a V-belt and clutch pulley means are provided in the form of a dish-shaped adapted plate secured to the drive shaft of said vehicular power source against a substantially spherical clutch housing mounted for rotation therewith to provide a bite between said adapter and said clutch housing capable of frictional engagement with said belt drive means. 7 An ice drilling device as defined in claim 5, wherein said ice auger is provided with a helicoid secured to its shaft above the operative cutting edges thereof and arranged to elevate chips of ice formed during a drilling operation and throw the same clear of the hole being drilled. 